LR Problem After Editing Image in Photoshop

I'm running LR 2.4 and PS-CS3 Extended V10.0.1 on XP
Camera files are from a 50D, imported into LR as dng

I am finding that when I edit my LR image in Photoshop (using "Edit in" link to PS) and then save the image back to LR after editing, the highlites are often now blown out in the psd saved version. Exposure was fine in the original sent to PS and I did not do any editing in PS related to exposure.

- A recent different example of a problem between the two programs & partly an experiment after noticing more of a problem:

-sent a dng file to photoshop for editing
-did no editing to the image in PS, merely saved it back to LR right away
-back in LR, I applied a B&W present to both the original LR dng and the psd-saved image

Result: the LR dng was perfect but that same psd image from Photoshop the highlights were blown out to the extreme, so much so I could not even recover it.

The saved file from Photoshop is adversely changed somehow between the programs without any editing whatsoever in PS. What could be happening and any idea how I solve this?

I've read through the forum and have checked my colour management settings, both programs are alike unless I've missed something.

When I use the "Edit In" function from LR, I do get the warning that "This version of LR may require the PS Camera Raw plug-in Version 5.4 for full compatibility" - I usually choose "open anyway" and proceed. Could this be the problem and I have to upgrade to CS4 already? Unfortunately I can't remember if this was happening with LR 1 but I feel like it was...

Any help with this would really be appreciated, I'm hesitant to use Photoshop now as it's messing with my images... thanks!

Ok, things to check....

1. Does the image look the same while it's in PS, or has it changed before it got there?
2. Are any settings being automatically applied to the PSD on its return?
3. Is it the B&W preset that's shifting the image? In which case, what does it apply, as some settings apply differently to PSD/Tiff/Jpeg than they do to raw files.

What colorspace are you using?

The LR histogram might be lying to you if you use AdobeRGB or sRGB: Link

Thank you for responding with some very good things to check.

Rene, I'm using Prophoto RGB - 16 bits.

Victoria, I checked out some of your ideas and found that the preset is applying the same settings to both the RAW and psd files. I've also tried a couple of different presets (Nichole's and Matt's) with the same results.

I also use Noise Ninja so I sent the image there via "edit in" but did not remove noise, I just saved it immediately back to LR. The results are exactly the same as PS after applying the preset to both the images - the highlights are extremely blown to the same degree it appears. I also noted that the histograms have expanded to touch the left-hand side as well (blacks)

What's interesting is that before I apply the preset, the histograms on all three files original dng-saved psd-saved tiff look the same, nothing blown.

*The other thing is that whenever I save an image back to LR after editing, all my LR adjustment settings are zero'd - is this correct behaviour?

*The actual image in photoshop does indeed look the same as the original in LR and so do their individual histograms.

*How do I check to see if there are any presets or automatic settings being applied to the image when it is being saved back to LR after editing in an external program?

Wow, what a mystery. Sure appreciate the help!!!

Don't apply a preset to the psd.

If you do you apply the preset "twice" (since the psd had the preset applied on the CR2 before being converted)

I'll echo and expand on what René says. The preset is designed for a Raw file to apply to and overwrite default settings. Once you send it off, any settings are "burned in" to a tiff. If you bring it back into LR, the tiff settings are "zeroed" as you noted, and applying a preset that is designed for a Raw file will "pile on" to the previous settings.

The best thing to do would be to take the presets and adjust the settings until they give good results on the tiff and then save them as separate presets with a descriptive name.

Ok, so leaving the presets out the equation for a second, immediately when the photo comes back into LR, go into Develop module and check the sliders. My first thought would be that the preferences are set to apply an autotone on import, which could have this effect, so triple check that all of the sliders are at zero.

Thank you all so very much, you have identified the problem and solved it for me.

The default settings that LR applies when I first import a new image into LR, were of course still applied when I sent the image to PS for editing (without the B&W present applied). Two examples are LR's default settings of brightness and contrast.

Now I know that those LR settings are "burned in" (great description) upon saving the image back to LR from PS. Back in LR when I did apply the B&W Preset to it, the preset did apply brightness and contrast again. So indeed, some of the settings are being applied twice!

I tried it out this morning and there is a big difference, a good one this time.

I was never sure whether the zeroing-out of the LR settings from PS meant that they all were still applied or dumped. I had run across this before with sharpening and contrast so always zero that setting before I send it for external editing.

So I will have to change the way I do things; perhaps make a preset of my own to zero LR's default settings and apply it prior to sending anything off to an external editor. I don't use virtual copies much but perhaps I need to start and keep my original exactly as imported.

Thanks so much everybody, I can't tell you how much I appreciate having this resolved. I'm also relieved I don't have to upgrade to CS4 - haven't got my mileage out of CS3 as yet... altho, I do wonder if a surprise issue will pop up one day because I am not using a version that exactly matches my camera and LR version.

Many thanks!

Victoria, I forgot to mention that I did follow-up on your suggestion from yesterday and there are no import presets applying themselves. Thank God for that!